Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myth Contributor(s): Williams, Mark (Author) |
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ISBN: 069118304X ISBN-13: 9780691183046 Publisher: Princeton University Press OUR PRICE: $28.45 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: December 2018 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Literary Criticism | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology - Literary Criticism | English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology |
Dewey: 299.161 |
LCCN: 2015045004 |
Physical Information: 1.3" H x 5.7" W x 9" (1.75 lbs) 608 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - British Isles - Cultural Region - Ireland |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: A sweeping history of Ireland's native gods, from Iron Age cult and medieval saga to the Celtic Revival and contemporary fiction Ireland's Immortals tells the story of one of the world's great mythologies. The first account of the gods of Irish myth to take in the whole sweep of Irish literature in both the nation's languages, the book describes how Ireland's pagan divinities were transformed into literary characters in the medieval Christian era--and how they were recast again during the Celtic Revival of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A lively narrative of supernatural beings and their fascinating and sometimes bizarre stories, Mark Williams's comprehensive history traces how these gods--known as the Túatha Dé Danann--have shifted shape across the centuries. We meet the Morrígan, crow goddess of battle; the fire goddess Brigit, who moonlights as a Christian saint; the fairies who inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's elves; and many others. Ireland's Immortals illuminates why these mythical beings have loomed so large in the world's imagination for so long. |
Contributor Bio(s): Williams, Mark: - Mark Williams is the Simon and June Li Fellow in the Humanities and Tutor in English at Lincoln College, University of Oxford, where he teaches medieval Irish, Welsh, and English literature. He is the author of Fiery Shapes: Celestial Portents and Astrology in Ireland and Wales, 700-1700. |